1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a photocurable ink composition for ink jet recording and an ink jet recording method using the same.
2. Related Art
Various methods have been used as recording methods for forming images on recording media such as paper on the basis of image data signals. Among these methods, an ink jet method uses a low-cost apparatus and forms images directly on recording media by ejecting inks only to necessary image portions, and thus the ink jet method can efficiently use inks and requires a low running cost. Further, the ink jet method is excellent as a recording method because of its low noise.
In the ink jet recording method, photocurable ink compositions which are cured by light irradiation have recently been used as ink compositions capable of imparting good water resistance, solvent resistance, and abrasion resistance.
For example, Japanese Patent Nos. 3461501 and 3544658 disclose an ink composition containing 2-(vinyloxyethoxy)ethyl (meth)acrylate, at least one of 2-(hydroxyethoxy)ethyl vinyl ether and diethylene glycol divinyl ether, diethylene glycol di (meth)acrylate, and a photopolymerization initiator, and a reactive diluent composition ([0114] and Table 1 in [0139] of Japanese Patent No. 3961501, and Examples and Tables 1 and 4 of Japanese Patent No. 3594658).
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-62591 discloses an ink jet ink containing 69.82 parts by weight of propoxylated neopentyl glycol diacrylate, 10.0 parts by weight of bifunctional vinyl ether monomer (a compound having only a vinyl ether group as a substituent), a radical photoinitiator, and 3.60 parts by weight of a disperse pigment, and having a viscosity at 25° C. of 22 mPas ([0021] and [0022] of Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-62591).
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-179136 discloses an ink solution containing 2-(2-vinyloxyethoxyl)ethyl acrylate alone or 2-(2-vinyloxyethoxyl)ethyl acrylate in combination with isobornyl acrylate, a radical polymerization initiator, a cationic polymerization initiator, a pigment, a dispersant, and a surfactant ([0204] to [0207] of Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-179136).
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (Translation of PCT Application) No. 2008-507598 discloses a radiation curable ink jet ink containing 25.8% by weight of hexanediol diacrylate, 4.6% by weight of an amine adduct of tripropylene glycol diacrylate, 2.3% by weight of 2-(2-ethoxyethoxyl)ethyl acrylate, 2.5% by weight of alkoxylated phenoxyethyl acrylate, 3.7% by weight of 2-benzyl-2-(dimethylamino)-4′-morpholinobutyrophenone, 3.2% by weight of 2-hydroxy-2-methylpropiophenone, 2.8% by weight of a mixture of trimethylbenzophenone and methylbenzophenone, 0.5% by weight of isopropylthioxanthone, 27.8% by weight of a cyan pigment dispersion solution, and 17.6% by weight of 2-(2-vinyloxyethoxyl)ethyl acrylate ([0208] and [0209] of Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (Translation of PCT Application) No. 2008-507598).
For example, Japanese Patent No. 4204333 is aimed at achieving excellent active energy ray curability of thin films and discloses a photocurable composition containing 47.5 parts by weight of vinyloxyethoxyethyl acrylate or vinyloxyethoxyethyl methacrylate, 47.5 parts by weight of 4-acryloyloxymethyl-2-methyl-2-methyl-1,3-dioxolane, 15 parts by weight of triethylene glycol diacrylate, and 5 parts by weight of a photopolymerization initiator ([0011], [0081], and [0082] of Japanese Patent No. 4204333).
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2010-157706 is aimed at providing an imprint curable composition which is excellent in curability in 3 μm-thickness thin films and excellent in pattern accuracy, and discloses an imprint curable composition including 15.4% by mass of a monofunctional acryl monomer, 19.3% by mass of 2-(2-vinyloxyethoxyl)ethyl acrylate, 51.3% by mass (total) of bifunctional acryl monomer and trifunctional acryl monomer, 1.0% by mass of a photopolymerization initiator, an antioxidant, a coupling agent, and a surfactant. ([0092] to [0098] and [0100] to [0103] of Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2010-157706).
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-96910 is aimed at providing an active energy ray-curable ink for ink jet printing which has low viscosity at room temperature and is excellent in flexibility of cured films, and discloses an active energy ray-curable ink for ink jet printing containing 2.5 parts by weight of pentaerythritol tetraacrylate, 32.7 parts by weight of diethylene glycol monovinyl ether acrylate, 6 parts by weight of isobornyl acrylate, 22.7 parts by weight of tetraethylene glycol diacrylate, 24.6 parts by weight of N-vinylpyrrolidone, a photopolymerization initiator, a pigment, and a dispersant ([0003], [0069] to [0072], and [0077] of Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-96910).
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (Translation of PCT Application) No. 2011-500932 discloses a free radical curable solution (INV-18) prepared by mixing 24.38% by weight of VEEA (2-(vinylethoxy)ethyl acrylate), 53.62% by weight of SR489 (tridecyl acrylate), 19.50% by weight of M600 (dipentaerythritol hexaacrylate), and 2.50% by weight of a polymerizable photoinitiator INI-C1 (Table 18 in [0315] of Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (Translation of PCT Application) No. 2011-500932).